“We thought our job would be to protect the Union’s financial interests, but in reality we are also defending our internal security”. During an exchange with MEPs on the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs on Monday 30 September, Laura Kövesi, European Chief Prosecutor of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), said that the nature of the crimes encountered by her office went far beyond initial forecasts, with a strong involvement of organised crime and threats to the security of the European Union.
Taking stock of EPPO activities since its launch in June 2021, she highlighted the growing involvement of organised crime groups in massive VAT fraud. “Organised crime, which used to be associated with trafficking in drugs or human beings, is now focusing on less risky and just as lucrative frauds”, she added.
Despite the EPPO’s impressive results, Laura Kövesi made no secret of her concerns about the inadequate resources available to her office. During the discussions, several MEPs, including Saskia Bricmont (Greens/EFA, Belgian), raised the issue of the EPPO’s budget and the need for appropriate funding to enable it to fulfil its mandate.
Ms Kövesi expressed her frustration at the limited resources allocated to her office: “I shouldn’t have to beg for money to do my job”, she insisted.
She pointed out that the budget allocated to EPPO since its creation had been grossly underestimated.
The prosecutor explained that the lack of resources compromises the EPPO’s ability to carry out complex investigations, particularly those involving transnational criminal networks. “I have only two options: either I don’t pay the bills, or I cut back on our activities. What should I do?”.
This lack of funding jeopardises the EPPO’s ability to protect the European Union’s finances effectively.
And with good reason: the EPPO is currently investigating more than 2,000 cases, with damages estimated at €23 billion. These investigations cover complex frauds that often involve violent criminal groups operating in several Member States. Ms Kövesi pointed out that these frauds, like the one uncovered in the ‘Admiral’ investigation, represent colossal losses for public budgets.
She called for greater financial resources, especially in the context of the next Multiannual Financial Framework, and for specialist investigators to be put in place in each Member State. In her view, cooperation with Europol is crucial, but Europol itself lacks the resources to support EPPO investigations: “We went to see Europol. Can you help us with that? They said, in theory, we can. In practice, we don’t have enough resources”.
Finally, she also mentioned the urgent need to revise the regulation governing EPPO, in order to clarify its powers and enable better coordination with the national authorities. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)